Gauging means for lawn mowers



oct; Y22, 194s.

' F. D. wuLFF GAUGING MEANS FOR LAWN MOWERS Filed Nov. 25, 1944 Zzgl' fnf/2e@ Patented Oct. 22, 1946 i UNITED STAT PATE-NT Aorifice i IGAUGING MEANS Fon-LAWN MoWERsj i `Framing Wulff, chieagem. Application November 23, 1944. serial No. 564.336

. The present invention l.relates to devices for setting or gauging the relation of cutting blades of lawnmowersand the like. I `Among the objects of the invention is to provide a novel gauge-type setting device for evening the setting or relation of the rotary blade or blades with respect to the stationary bladef or the like of a lawn mower, and comprising rela- -tively adjustable parts of which one part may be contacted with the stationary bladeand the other part contacted with the shaft of the rotary blade means whereby both ends of the blades may be adjusted to be even and in accordance with the adjusted setting of the gauge. i l Another object of the invention is to provide a novel device of the character disclosed V and which may have also contacting means on one of the members which may be set against the edge of the rotary blade to gauge the position of the contacting member to contact the Vcutting edge of the stationaryblade and still have the other contacting member in contact with theV shaft, the contacting surfaces of the two rst-mentioned contacting elements being in a common plane.

OtherA objects, advantages, capabilities, features and the like are-comprehended by the invention as will later appear and as are inherentlypossessed by the invention. l j Referring briefly to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side View in elevation of the` device;

constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a rear view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a' part sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken in a plane represented by line 4-4 in Fig. 3 of the drawing;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken in a plane represented by line 5 5 in Fig. 3 of the drawing;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the device; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another part of the device.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the device is shown as comprising a pair of relatively slidable elongated members I and 2 of which the member I. has at its lower end a heel part 3, adapted to contact the edge of the stationary blade when in use as later explained, and a laterally extending toe part 4 adapted to contact the upper face of the cutting edge of the stationary blade adjacent its cutting edge, and at its upper end with a laterally extending finger or ange part 5 to serve as a iinger piece when adjusting the device as later explained. At an ecieims. (c1. ss-isn i i intermediate part of the member-I is provided an elongated slot B. A V Y The member 2 has at its lower end laterally extending and reversely curved guide flanges 1 and 8 adapted to encompass the edge portions of the member I and to slide along the same. Near or at the lower end of the member 2 is provided a laterally orrearwardly extending toe part or projection ElV which may have a flange or leg IIJ suitably secured to the member 2. At theupper end ofthe member 2 is provided a laterally extending ngeror flange part I I which serves asa linger coordinately with the flange 5. By pressing the finger pieces 5 and II, between the thumb and finger-of the user, the members are caused to relatively slide.

At an intermediate part the member :2 has `a threaded element I2, which may be in the form of a nut,` suitably secured to the member 2 as by way of solder I3 or the like. This element I2 is located to have its threaded part opposite the slot 5 and asuitable hole I4 provided in the member `2. In threaded'engagement with this element I2 is the threaded stem I5 `of a nger clamp having' a linger piece I6 and a thrust collar or head I1 adapted to clamp on the member I, the stem I5 passingthro'ugh the slot 6 and the opening'lll, as'showmto hold the members I and' 2 in adjusted relation.

The device is particularly adapted to be used 1 with the cutter means of a lawnV mower or vthe like,l and, as'shmvri-in4 Fig. 1, such means comprises a relatively stationary blade I8 carried by or fixed to a blade holder I 9 supported on a shaft 20 carried by the frame 2I of the mower. The frame 2| also carries a bar 22 which may be xed to the frame and in this bar are adjusting screws 23 the ends of which are adapted to engage saddles or shoulders 24 provided on the holder I9, as shown in Fig. 1. By adjusting the screws 23, the angular relation of the holder I9 and the blade I8 relative to the axis of the shaft 20 may be had as desired so that the blade I8 will be in proper shearing position for the cutting blades. On the frame 2| is also mounted a shaft 25 for rotatably carrying a rotary blade holder 26 to which is secured one or more blades 21, the cutting edge 28 of which travels in a circular path represented byv the arrows 29 to have shearing function with the cutting edge 30 of the stationary blade I8, as shown in Fig. 1.

The device of the present invention is used to gauge the relation of the cutting edge 30 in proper shearing relation with the cutting edge 28. 'Ihis is eifected by rst adjusting the position 3 of an end of the blade I8, by way of adjusting the screws 23 at each end of the blade I8, so that the corresponding end of the blade 21 will have the desired position or shearing relation of the cutting edges 28 and 3i). Then the device of this invention is applied in place by resting the toe 4 on the cutting edge 30 and then by moving the member 2 with the guide '1 -8 upward along the memberll; to bring .the toe 9 into contact with the shaft 25, and then the screw I5-I-6 is tightened to hold the members I and 2 clamped together.

edge Se at such end of the blade and then toe 9 isswung to position under the shaft-25. 'Ifthe toe 9 contacts the underside .of the shaft 25., the cutting edge 3l) is in correct position. If thetoe 9 is spaced Y adjusted to raise the blade I8 until the toe 9 contacts the underside. 0f the Shaft 25,; and if the toe 9 is too high to come under the shaft 25 .the screws 23 are soY adjusted as to lower the blade I8 until the toe can V.come just under the shaft 25. The device also may have fixed to the lower end portion or heel ilV another toe 3l having its upper surface 32 inthe same plane as the lower surface of the toe ,and this toe 3l may Yhave a flange 33 suitably securedto the lower end part of the heel 3'. This toe 3l is used by bringing the upper face 32 thereof lagainst the cutting edge 2B of the rotary blade 21 and then adjusting the toe 9 to contact with the underside of the shaft 25, whence the lower face of the toe 4, being in the same plane as the face 32,l will be at the correct position to coincide with or contact the edge 30 of the blade I8.- If the edge 30 does not so contact, then the screws 23y will be so adjusted as to effect such contact. Therefore, .adjustment may be effected in this manner at both ends `Gaf the blade 28 and the blade 21. e

While I have herein described and upon the drawing shown an illustrative embodiment ofthe invention it is to be understood that the invention may comprehend other constructionsy details, arrangements of parts, features and the like with.- out departing from the spirit of the invention. Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim; LA gauging means for al lawn mower which has a frame Carrying a relatively adjustable stationary blade and a rotary blad-e rotatable on a shaft carried by said frame; `said gauging means comprising two relatively fiat and clon-.-

gated members assembled in face-toeface rela? This device is then moved to the other t f end of the blade |18 to place the toe 4 `on xtherbelow the shaft the screwsl3 areE A 4 tion for longitudinal sliding movement with respect to each other, one of said members having a laterally-extending toe adjacent the lower end thereof with a flat lower surface adapted to be placed on the upper surface of the stationary blade of the mower and having a laterally-extending finger piece at the upper end thereof; the otherof said members being of lesser length than said first mentioned member and1 having a laterally extending toe adjacent the llower end thereof disposed at that side of the assembled members opposite that from which the toe on the first-mentioned member extends, said toe of the second-mentioned member having a flat' upper surface adapted to be placed beneath the shaft of the rotary blade of the mower, and said second-mentioned member having a laterallyextending finger piece at the upper end thereof and disposed at the same side of said member as the laterally Vextending .toe thereof; one of said members having relatively short laterally-.extending, reversely curved .guide flanges .along the side edges thereof engaging the side edges of the other member to maintain the members in assembled relation and to permit longitudinal sliding movementof said members with respect to each other; and clamping means connected to said members for holding them in adjusted relation, said clamping means comprising a threaded part fixed to one of said members, a clamping element threaded into said part and extending through an elongated slot provided in the other of ysaid members and also having aclamping head for clamping engagement with said last-mentioned member. Y

2. A gauging device as defined in claim 1 wherein the finger piece at the upper end of the first' mentioned member is disposed at the same' side of the assembled members as the finger piece at the upper end of the second-mentioned mem.

ber, whereby said finger pieces may bereadily engaged by the thumb and nger of an operator' to effect relative sliding movement of the members when the clamping means is released.V

3'. A gauging device as defined in claim .1 wherein the first-mentioned member has a second second toe being flat and in the same plane as therf lower flat surface of saidother toe.' 

